Ten Years of Awesome
By: Stephanie Geraghty
January 1, 2021
Happy New Year, Stroller Warriors! Many of you may not remember me at this point. So allow me introduce myself. My name is Steph and I get the super cool title of Stroller Warriors founder and retired CEO. I officially retired almost 3 full years ago but still dabble in a couple behind-the-scenes things and LOVE to see what the Warriors are up to. I have to say, I am so amazed and proud that the club still stands and is quite frankly, flourishing. Well done, team. I am overjoyed and so grateful that you’ve carried on the torch. It means a lot.
To many of you, it might seem like the club has been around forever, but believe it or not, we’ve only been in existence for 10 short years. In some ways, those ten years flew by in a second because I still remember the early days vividly. One decade ago, I had an idea that maybe a military spouse running club would be fun. Maybe I could make some friends. Maybe my kids could make some friends. And maybe, just maybe, I could survive my first deployment as a mother.
There were only 3 of us on that chilly Tuesday morning in North Carolina. It was January 19th, 2010, to be exact, and why I thought it was a good idea to launch a club in a cold winter month just goes to show how excited I was about the idea! That morning, we plodded down the path with our kids bundled under blankets in the strollers. The three of us congregated at our cars afterwards, excitedly talking about how fun this was and how we will do it again. So I hosted another workout that very next Tuesday. A couple more people showed up. And the week after that…and the week after that! It was working! I didn’t take any photographs the first couple months because I didn’t even really grasp what was happening and what this would be. But the images are clear in my head. Every time I saw another vehicle pull into the parking lot, the strollers heaved out of trunks, and little ones running around the playground, my heart was full. I WAS having fun. I WAS making friends. And I wasn’t just surviving the deployment. I. Was. Thriving.
By: Stephanie Geraghty
January 1, 2021
Happy New Year, Stroller Warriors! Many of you may not remember me at this point. So allow me introduce myself. My name is Steph and I get the super cool title of Stroller Warriors founder and retired CEO. I officially retired almost 3 full years ago but still dabble in a couple behind-the-scenes things and LOVE to see what the Warriors are up to. I have to say, I am so amazed and proud that the club still stands and is quite frankly, flourishing. Well done, team. I am overjoyed and so grateful that you’ve carried on the torch. It means a lot.
To many of you, it might seem like the club has been around forever, but believe it or not, we’ve only been in existence for 10 short years. In some ways, those ten years flew by in a second because I still remember the early days vividly. One decade ago, I had an idea that maybe a military spouse running club would be fun. Maybe I could make some friends. Maybe my kids could make some friends. And maybe, just maybe, I could survive my first deployment as a mother.
There were only 3 of us on that chilly Tuesday morning in North Carolina. It was January 19th, 2010, to be exact, and why I thought it was a good idea to launch a club in a cold winter month just goes to show how excited I was about the idea! That morning, we plodded down the path with our kids bundled under blankets in the strollers. The three of us congregated at our cars afterwards, excitedly talking about how fun this was and how we will do it again. So I hosted another workout that very next Tuesday. A couple more people showed up. And the week after that…and the week after that! It was working! I didn’t take any photographs the first couple months because I didn’t even really grasp what was happening and what this would be. But the images are clear in my head. Every time I saw another vehicle pull into the parking lot, the strollers heaved out of trunks, and little ones running around the playground, my heart was full. I WAS having fun. I WAS making friends. And I wasn’t just surviving the deployment. I. Was. Thriving.
That, my friends, was the beginning of something special, something beyond what I could have ever dreamed. I am not sure how to capture ten years of Stroller Warriors in one short blog, but I’m going to give it a shot. Here’s my “Top 10” of why Stroller Warriors was the best part of my years as a military spouse.
1. Home. This is number one on my list because home means peace, comfort, and support. We moved to Camp Lejeune in 2009 when our boys were 2 months and 2 ½ years old. That home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, was 1,325 miles from my childhood hometown in Avoca, Iowa. I had never lived that far from my parents. Additionally, it was intimidating to bid farewell to my husband for 6 months and wonder, who can I rely on? Stroller Warriors gave me the village I needed, a home away from home. They supported me and loved me as one of their own family. I won’t deny that in retirement, I’ve had many moments of yearning for my village. It’s slowly developing but not nearly as fast as what a Stroller Warriors chapter achieves. My hat is off to the best village I’ve ever known. There’s nothing else quite like it.
2. Fun! Laughter keeps us young. Laughter makes life lighter and simpler. There was not a Stroller Warriors workout that did not feed my soul through conversation and laughter. Whether we were laughing about our kids antics or our own antics, dressing up in ridiculous costumes, or making horses pop out of bushes (I’m looking at you, Lou), we always enjoyed our time together. A smile is good for the soul. I was a bit of a sarcastic smart a$$ on our leadership planning pages and for good reason. One, I was the founder and CEO and nobody could fire me. Win, ha! Two, it made me laugh to see their witty responses, which were equally hilarious. I laughed, a lot. Gifs and memes were a stellar add to Facebook and the Warriors used them like seasoned experts. Thanks for all the late nights and good times. You brought me happiness.
1. Home. This is number one on my list because home means peace, comfort, and support. We moved to Camp Lejeune in 2009 when our boys were 2 months and 2 ½ years old. That home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, was 1,325 miles from my childhood hometown in Avoca, Iowa. I had never lived that far from my parents. Additionally, it was intimidating to bid farewell to my husband for 6 months and wonder, who can I rely on? Stroller Warriors gave me the village I needed, a home away from home. They supported me and loved me as one of their own family. I won’t deny that in retirement, I’ve had many moments of yearning for my village. It’s slowly developing but not nearly as fast as what a Stroller Warriors chapter achieves. My hat is off to the best village I’ve ever known. There’s nothing else quite like it.
2. Fun! Laughter keeps us young. Laughter makes life lighter and simpler. There was not a Stroller Warriors workout that did not feed my soul through conversation and laughter. Whether we were laughing about our kids antics or our own antics, dressing up in ridiculous costumes, or making horses pop out of bushes (I’m looking at you, Lou), we always enjoyed our time together. A smile is good for the soul. I was a bit of a sarcastic smart a$$ on our leadership planning pages and for good reason. One, I was the founder and CEO and nobody could fire me. Win, ha! Two, it made me laugh to see their witty responses, which were equally hilarious. I laughed, a lot. Gifs and memes were a stellar add to Facebook and the Warriors used them like seasoned experts. Thanks for all the late nights and good times. You brought me happiness.
3. Generosity. The club taught me to look outside my own obstacles and focus on the needs of others. I loved our outreach activities so much that we kept adding more and more. We were busy, but good busy. Even though I’m no longer an active SW, I still stalk the Facebook page and love watching the creative ideas all of the chapters come up with. Serving meals at the USO airport, collecting clothes for families impacted by fire, sending used shoes overseas, or making meals for our own Warriors in need…every act makes a difference and fills your cup. I always felt better when we were giving back. It always felt right. Keep filling.
4. Inspiration. I watched my fellow Warriors show up even on hard days. I watched them go through tough things but still log those miles, set those goals, run those races, and then set more goals. I never would have even considered running a full marathon or trying a triathlon if it wasn’t for the club. They inspired me to believe in myself because THEY believed in themselves. I followed their example and bowed to the best kind of peer pressure, Stroller Warriors pressure! I still reflect on many of my friends’ achievements and think to myself, “Wow, I want to be awesome like them.” Thank you for the push, Warriors. All of these years later, I’m still watching and being in awe.
4. Inspiration. I watched my fellow Warriors show up even on hard days. I watched them go through tough things but still log those miles, set those goals, run those races, and then set more goals. I never would have even considered running a full marathon or trying a triathlon if it wasn’t for the club. They inspired me to believe in myself because THEY believed in themselves. I followed their example and bowed to the best kind of peer pressure, Stroller Warriors pressure! I still reflect on many of my friends’ achievements and think to myself, “Wow, I want to be awesome like them.” Thank you for the push, Warriors. All of these years later, I’m still watching and being in awe.
5. Leadership. I thought I knew something about being a leader prior to the club. This club pushed me to grow in ways I never knew possible. My skin toughened and my heart grew. Leading a massive worldwide organization is not easy. You can never make everyone happy. But, obstacles spurred our headquarters team to brainstorm, to play devil’s advocate, and to unite on the best outcomes for the betterment of the whole. I am so much more open-minded because of the club and I still draw on that wisdom and experiences today. Every tear was worth that growth. To the current leadership staff, I understand your trials and I admire your strength. In those tough moments, remember that anything worth having requires a lot of hard work and it is always worth it. The Lord smiles on every good deed. Keep up the important work. You. Are. Awesome! I’ve got to throw a special shoutout here to your CEO and my dear friend, Kelly Mulder. You guys. She’s so amazing and we owe her so much. Do me a favor and randomly drop her a line now and then just to share something you love about the club. That fills her cup and her team’s cup, which trickles down to all the Warriors. [email protected]. 😉
6. Memories. So many of my favorite and most positive memories from those years were wrapped up in the club. Why is that?! Well, probably because the club was so fun, the workouts and events were the only places I wanted to be and where I spent all of my time! But, on a deeper scale, that positivity was how all of the activities were framed. Friendship, family, fitness, and fun all create the perfect formula for great memories. I will never forget the races we traveled to together, the Christmas parties, the PFTS, and the all-around fun. And our kids came to all of it because duh, they were the whole reason! My military spouse memories were full of joy because of the club.
7. Outlet. The military lifestyle isn’t for the faint of heart. The top stressors a person can experience are wrapped up in this community, ranging from moves, health complications, separations, combat, post-deployment adjustments, life, and death. However, the military lifestyle offers the opportunity for us to take care of ourselves so that we CAN endure those things. Stroller Warriors provided an outlet and helped me focus on my own needs, physical, mental, and spiritual. Word vomit on long run Saturdays was like much needed therapy. We could talk about the weirdest most random things in a couple hours and leave feeling cleansed and uplifted. Thank you for the stories, thank you for listening, thank you for lifting burdens. Now, in these retirement years, I have floundered at times. I realized that I needed to be feeding my soul by purposefully doing things that do make me happy and healthy. I needed to do Stroller Warriory things. So I started biking weekly with 3 girls who became my best friends practically overnight. (Sound familiar?!) I started substitute teaching at the school and volunteering more at the church. I’ve been making meals for people in need just because. I even put on a small local race! I felt like my old self again and was grateful I had the SW example to reference. That self-care has been VERY important this year because frankly, 2020 has been a unique level of, um, sh*t show. But we’re figuring it out and SW has been a huge help with that. 2020 couldn’t knock us down. We handled it and now we’ve got our sights on a great 2021.
8. Parenting. Being a parent is the most amazing blessing in my life. It’s also my biggest challenge by far! Currently my 13-year-old is trying to see how many gray hairs I can grow. Can I getta amen? Way back when, I really appreciated having the club to help me navigate those ups and downs of being a mom. I watched the other parents and realized, hey, I’m not alone. We all jumped in to help each other out. A weight was lifted. We learned from each other too. If I’ve seen one NRR (non-running related) post, I’ve seen a million, and a good portion of them were about our kids. It was so nice to be able to ask questions in a non-judgmental environment. I would like to think my kids really benefited from the club too, not only in their own little friendships but in me striving to be a better mother to them. They also saw the example of all these other parents getting out and enjoying life to the fullest as a community, and I hope they carry that with them. I want them to be “Stroller Warriors” too, in every way.
9. Food. Okay, this isn’t the most deep heartfelt list item but I love food and Stroller Warriors love food and geez, we ate a lot of delicious food! Most workouts featured some sort of random treat, or we just made up reasons to bring treats. I don’t think it’s an accident that the long runs on Camp Lejeune commenced and concluded at Dunkin Donuts either! Breaking bread together is another way to feel at home and I always appreciated that. So did my stomach. I remember the most exciting treat I ever shared…gender reveal cupcakes for my daughter. What a special moment and it was so fitting to share it with Stroller Warriors. They were so genuinely happy for me and shared the journey with me and I will never forget that.
9. Food. Okay, this isn’t the most deep heartfelt list item but I love food and Stroller Warriors love food and geez, we ate a lot of delicious food! Most workouts featured some sort of random treat, or we just made up reasons to bring treats. I don’t think it’s an accident that the long runs on Camp Lejeune commenced and concluded at Dunkin Donuts either! Breaking bread together is another way to feel at home and I always appreciated that. So did my stomach. I remember the most exciting treat I ever shared…gender reveal cupcakes for my daughter. What a special moment and it was so fitting to share it with Stroller Warriors. They were so genuinely happy for me and shared the journey with me and I will never forget that.
10. Lifelong friendships. This one sums up the list and comes full circle to how the club changed my life and gave me a home. Without a doubt, some of my very best friends to date are still the Stroller Warriors. We’re all over the world at this point and I don’t see them in person often. But, there is just something about that triple threat as military spouses, as parents, and as runners that secures DEEP friendships very quickly and very forever. They saw me at my best and worst and loved me through it all. I have to share this story because I think it exemplifies how you always carry those kinds of friends with you. Two days before Christmas I woke up and realized I had a dream about an very dear SW friend. We don’t talk often and she doesn’t post to social media, so I don’t stalk her very well! But, our hearts are bonded and when we do get time together, we don’t skip a beat. Anyway, back to the dream…I dreamed that she was pregnant! Eek! I just knew God was nudging me. So I promptly texted her and asked if there was anything I needed to know. She responded that I was creepy and that I no longer needed tickets to the real circus because I could just enjoy hers! I promptly called her and we chatted the next hour about her little one on the way and how life has been with her husband, her other five children, and their awesome hobby farm. She is a prime example of all the dear friends I’ve collected. They’re so special to me, unprecedented really. I love you all and am so grateful you will always be a part of my life. (Please keep sending those Christmas cards! And I’ll keep dreaming about you. Literally. 😊)
As I read this top 10 list and think about what I still see happening in the club, I realize that we’re fundamentally still the same as what we were back then. Same mission, same goals. Yes, this year has been entirely unique with quarantines and restrictions on workouts, club activities, and races due to Covid. You had to find new ways to motivate and connect…and you DID. You rolled with the obstacles just like always and identified ways to unite and overcome. I absolutely loved watching the virtual events, the scavenger hunts, and the online chatter. You did not let this deter you from meeting your mission and supporting each other in every way that you could. You ARE changing lives of people like me, who will move on eventually but always carry the club in their hearts. Forever changed. Forever grateful.
Happy 10-Year-Runniversary Stroller Warriors. In short, you will always have my heart. I’m very proud I got to be a part of this in the first 10 years.
(I must apologize that this got so long. Thanks for hanging in there. Those of you that know me are not surprised by my verbose blog. Some things truly do never change. 😉 )
Happy Running from your retired founder and CEO and biggest fan,
Steph
Happy 10-Year-Runniversary Stroller Warriors. In short, you will always have my heart. I’m very proud I got to be a part of this in the first 10 years.
(I must apologize that this got so long. Thanks for hanging in there. Those of you that know me are not surprised by my verbose blog. Some things truly do never change. 😉 )
Happy Running from your retired founder and CEO and biggest fan,
Steph
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